Start with how you work
Write down how a job moves in your company, from first contact to final payment. Separate insurance jobs from retail jobs if they follow different steps. A CRM should fit that flow, not force you into someone else's.
Questions to ask
Take this list to every demo.
- Can I try it with my own jobs before I commit?
- What does it cost for my number of users, and what is extra?
- Does it work well on a phone, in the field, with a weak signal?
- Can reps text and call from it, and does the history save to the job?
- How are invoices and payments handled?
- How is rep commission worked out, and can reps see only their own numbers?
- Who owns my data, and how do I export it?
- How long does moving over take, and who helps?
What to watch for
Be careful with long contracts for a tool your crew has not used. Be careful with setups that need several separate products to do one job. Ask to talk to a roofing company that has used it for a year.
Run a small pilot
Pick one office manager and two reps. Put real jobs in for two weeks. If the reps use it without being chased, you have your answer.
Hodos offers a walkthrough on your own Pipeline so you can see how your jobs would look before you decide.